Rockville Centre school district bids them adieu

It was an evening of farewells, as school administrators and board of education trustees recognized the retirement of 10 district employees, a longtime consultant and one of their own — school board Vice President Stephen Kriss — at the June 13 Board of Education meeting.

District employees Lindasue Burdi, Ann Ferrara, Richard Gagliardi, Ann Israeli, Brian Kerr, Maria Maddalena, Marianne Mancusi, Jacqueline Siller, Janice Wunsch and Joan Zeller were recognized for their service.

“It’s been a privilege to work with some of the incredible people in the school district,” said Superintendent Dr. William Johnson, who described the outgoing staff as “consummate professionals.

“We owe them a real debt of gratitude as they leave and move into another section of their lives,” Johnson added.

Suzanne Oppenheimer, a school district consultant, is retired as the longtime editor of the print version of the “Your Schools” publication, which the district plans to replace with an online web-based approach in an effort to make school information more dynamic and to cut costs.

In brief remarks, Johnson said that Oppenheimer was the “heart and soul” and what the publication was all about for many years. Although saying farewell is difficult, Johnson said that it is also an opportunity to recognize a member of the community who used her skills to make the schools a better place. “She is a wonderful editor,” Johnson quipped, “but a plague on us.”

Turning his attention to Stephen Kriss, Johnson said that even though he had a short time on the board, “everyone understands how passionate you’ve been in supporting quality programs for the children of Rockville Centre. It’s been a pleasure to work with you.”

Kriss’s colleague on the board, Secretary Mark Masin, read from prepared remarks, noting that with his experience as a teacher, an administrator, a board member and a parent, Kriss always brought something to the table, and among those things were passion, energy, foresight, humor and intelligence.

“Steve is the ultimate advocate for your children,” Masin said. “He is the voice of all of the children in our district. They are individuals, not just a student number… We are the advocate[s] of all 3,500 plus students of our school district community. Even if that means that our very own children may miss out on an experience because of a decision that the Board of Education makes, it is for the greater good of the entire school community.

“… to know him is to understand what we as board members in this district have as a goal,” Masin added. “What we all should have as a goal… is to come back to our educational center. What is best to advance the education of our kids. Help to make them, mold them into 21st century learners. Steve has it figured out.”

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